It’s hard to get enough of California, isn’t it? So, by popular demand (well, I’m sure Smartman wants to see photos from the Reagan Library), here are more photos from our recent trip to LA and vicinity.
(By the way, if some of you could not open yesterday’s post, with the first round of photos, I apologize. I don’t know what was wrong; I just hope this one poses no problems…If you’d like me to send you a link to yesterday’s post, send me an e-mail at jim.fitzpatrick06@gmail.com. Maybe that will work.)
In light of the “new airport” controversy in Kansas City, I want to start off with four photos from LAX. Then, we’ll move on to recreation.
This is how a modern terminal building should look — open, welcoming and featuring plenty of natural light.
This is how a modern-airport food court should look.
This is the kind of airy, natural-looking bar area that a modern airport should have.
This is how an entrance to a major terminal — with one, large security area — should look.
Ceremonies before the Angels-Cardinals game in Anaheim on July 2. Don’t be misled by the number of empty seats. Attendance exceeded 39,000. (The Angels won 5-1.)
Our gracious hosts during our trip, Roger and Suzanne Johnson of Arcadia, and a friend from St. Louis, Mary Buttice. (Arcadia is in north central Los Angeles County.)
The group behind us…Movie stars, I’m sure.
A street in Arcadia.
Independence Day, Arcadia.
At the entrance to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. (Simi Valley is northwest of Los Angeles.)
Reagan’s 1984 presidential parade limo.
A jet engine on Reagan’s Air Force I plane. The plane takes up an entire section of the library facility.
While recovering in the hospital from John Hinckley’s assassination attempt, Reagan was on a breathing tube for a few days and couldn’t talk. So, he communicated by writing notes. This one says, “What does the future hold. Will I be able to do ranch work, ride etc.”
On a plaza, just behind the library building, a section of the Berlin Wall.
A view of the surroundings from behind the library. As Smartman said in a recent comment regarding the library, “The exterior panaromic views are spectacular.”
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
Fitz,
It should be The Smartman…(You are welcome, The Smartman.) Not a shot at you, Jim – kidding.
That airport looks GREAT compared to the status during its renovations a few years back. I am not denoting opposition to KCI, but it’s logical that Los Angeles has a better airport than KC. I like the mock-ups of the (KCI) redesign, but we also need to fix the sewer system – parts of which are as old as The Star’s building.
I think all presidential libraries are cool. Again, I am not affiliated with a political party; they are all thieves.
Great Southern Cal photos. From the wildlife and trees in the north to the beauty of the San Diego area, California is hard to beat. Her beauty is breathtaking.
Thanks, Larry…Good point about LAX; you would expect it to be better than KCI. But, you know what? It doesn’t have to be that way. LAX has seven terminals, I believe (they need them; we don’t), and I only saw the Southwest/U.S. Airways terminal. We could have a single-terminal airport that is every bit as attractive and efficient as any of the LAX terminals. That’s part of the problem here…We tend to think, well, we’re Kansas City and we don’t need a $1.2 billion airport. Yes, we do. Airports don’t come cheep, and we desperately need a new one…one that makes people look around and say, “Wow, this is nice.”
P.S. I became familiar with Smartman before he took on airs and became The Smartman. I refuse to acknowledge that he is The One and Only Smartman.
God Bless ya for the pics, Fitz. As Larry said, California is truly breathtaking.
Favorite recollection of the tour was the replica of the Oval Office. President Reagan was brought out for a look see during construction and quickly pointed out the ceilings were too low, by about 2 feet. Unacceptable! So, despite footings and foundation already being completed, they excavated down the additional 2 feet so the room would indeed be a true replica. Thank God for friends with money as the library was built with private donations.
I’d get more on board with a new airport if it served any real purpose other than stroking the Slyborg’s ego. It will not improve tourism, convention business, or anything for that matter. Los Angeles alone receives almost 50 million day and overnight visitors annually. The overnight number alone is 27 million. They NEED to be accommodating.
At this point, with all the other social, operational and mechanical problems we have, $1.2B is just insane. The majority of that burden will fall on the local business traveller, not so much inbound and departing tourists or business travelers. As time goes on more and more people will use Skype or Go To Meeting as option one for business meetings versus business travel.
In the big scheme of things we are porcine in KC. We don’t need a new pig pen, just some fresh mud.
I didn’t stay in the Oval Office long enough to hear that story, Smartman…I should have; it’s a good one.
On the airport, you’re probably right that business travelers will bear the brunt, but it wouldn’t be the travelers themselves, but their companies, that would be paying the extra freight. I like that…
But Fitz, it all rolls down hill and ultimately winds up on the back of the consumer. So in the end we all get it in the rear end.
When, or if, Obamacare gets fully implemented you, we, will pay for it in increased costs on every single thing that we buy. No business is going to absorb those costs out of the kindness of their heart.
You think the Southwest Terminal at LAX was attractive? Really? It’s functional, but I wouldn’t say it’s attractive.
I don’t think I gushed about it’s beauty, Your Wife…I just said I thought certain the elements I pointed out were representative of what one would find in a top-tier airport.
Fitz…how is California doing economically? With an airport like that, money must be rolling in!
Can’t tell you for sure, but the California legislature last month approved a $96 billion budget, and Gov. Jerry Brown issued a statement, saying, “After two and a half years of struggle and difficult times, California’s budget is balanced and sustainable into the future.”
You have to believe Jerry, right? He dated Linda Ronstadt.
At the Reagan library, I learned that when Ronnie took office as governor in 1967, the state budget was $200 million.
Sustainable? Governor Moonbeam is insane. California’s long term debt, as of FY 2013 is estimated to be 1.1 TRILLION dollars. It will only get worse.